Lansdowne Iron Works National Historic Site of Canada

Lansdowne Iron Works was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1932 because:

• it is the site of the first iron works in Upper Canada.

The heritage value of Lansdowne Iron Works resides in its historical associations with the iron manufacturing industry in Upper Canada. While the existence of local ore was well-known and various petitions had been made to the government for the right to erect a foundry, it was not until 1801 that Wallis Sunderlin, a Vermont iron manufacturer, established the first iron works in Upper Canada at Furnace Falls. Sunderlin saw opportunity in the 7.3 metre natural waterfall, “Furnace Falls,” on the Ganonoque River and in the abundance of local iron ore. The works included a sawmill, a furnace stack 7.62 metres (25 feet) high, and a frame structure surrounding the furnace stack and a forge. The works, with a furnace for the production of cast iron and a forge for the manufacture of wrought iron goods was required by the area’s settlers. It was operated with limited success by Sunderlin and his associates until it was destroyed by fire in 1811. Sunderlin died during the War of 1812. Attempts in 1815-1816 to re-establish the works to supply the Kingston dockyard were ended with the agreement to limit armaments on the Great Lakes. The brick ruins visible on the site today are from the later Harvey gristmill (1881).